The Polar Vortex
by Adinamya
Summary: Update 3/14: Mayor typos corrected. Modern AU: Detective Tom Branson and rookie detective Sybil Crawley are investigating the murder of an actress of a famous franchise, The Polar Vortex. Things complicated when it's discovered Sybil knows more than what's saying, and Tom tries to manage his feels towards her doesn't blind the resolution of the case. Rated M for future chapters.


**The Polar Vortex**

**Modern AU:** Detective Tom Branson and the rookie detective Sybil Crawley are investigating the murder of an actress in a famous franchise, The Polar Vortex. Things get complicated when it's discovered Sybil knows more than she's saying and Tom tries to manage her feels towards her doesn't blind the resolution of the case.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own this characters. The idea of this fanfic was born after I read "The cuckoo's calling by Robert Galbraight. I'm aware a lot of details about police investigation and places could be wrong, my my knowledge is limited of what I see in the TV and Wikipedia but I hope you could enjoy.

This is the english version of my story "El vórtice polar".

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**Chapter 1. Dirty Little Secrets**

Tom was the first detective to arrive at the crime scene, after all he was only a few blocks away when he received the call from chief Carson. Arrive to Hyde Park only took a couple of minutes.

When he arrived the zone was already cordoned with the police tape and at least half dozen police officers and forensics were seen working in the area.

"Agent Mason" Tom said as a greeting to the first agent who received him

"Detective Branson" replied agent William Mason and guided him towards the crime scene.

"Is Detective Bates still in leave?" asked Mason to Tom

"Detective Smith keeps us informed, she thinks it would be at least three weeks more before doctors give John permission to sit up," answered Tom with camaraderie though wishing not be asked more about it, it was still a sensitive topic "Inspector Carson said he'd send another detective as soon as possible"

William added nothing more.

"What we have here?" Tom asked as he waited for one of forensic team finish taking pictures of the body.

"The victim is a female, about twenty years, presents a contusion at the back of her head that it seems caused for falling against a stone," William informed while consulting his note pad "She was found around 9 am by a group of Peruvian tourists," - William pointed to a group of five people that were being interviewing by other officers behind cordoned line.

Tom looked at the witnesses, they were being interviewed by other officers at the perimeter of the cordoned scene.

"Only one of them speaks English fluently and was the one who intercepted a traffic police and told him there was a body in the bushes. They say they were in their way to Princess Diana memorial."

"Who was the first to arrive?" Tom asked

"Agent Barrow and me, but…"

"What's the matter Mason?"

"Something strange happened when we arrived, two teenagers, ran towards us and said "it is Bryanna, help her", I still don't understand that"

A mocking laughter was heard behind William, Tom recognized it immediately.

"What's so funny agent Barrow?" Branson asked in exasperation, there was nothing he liked about Barrow's attitude.

"See for yourself, detective" said Barrow and give him a pair of latex gloves.

"You can approach now, I finished," Daisy Robinson announced, she was Tom's favorite coroner, he had a special appreciation her discreet and efficient work.

He putt he latex gloves Barrow had stretched at him and approached to the body, carefully lifted the plastic bag covering it.

Branson was trained to see the bodies in the most objectively possible way, always start with the position of the body, always call it body, reminded himself.

In this occasion, a girl in her twenties was laying on her back like she was looking at the endless sky. She was slim, average height, the typical milky white freckled skin that comes with long red hair. The only feature that stood was a red and swollen eyelid.

She was wearing a gray hoodie and a shirt of the same color with the words RADARTE printed in black, Tom didn't knew anything about labels but it seemed to him that her jeans and sneakers were very expensive, her nails were painted red and blue.

It was not until Tom finished making the general recognition when he remembered the name William had given to him and realize that he knew her.

Carefully Tom reached into her hoodie pockets of the girl, he found her ID inside her wallet that confirmed she was "Bryanna Welch" .

"This girl was an actress," Tom said heading towards William

"An actress?" asked a third person, Tom thought he recognized that voice, and his heart raised.

Detective Sybil Crawley, the rookie detective in the force, approached him.

After him cursed inspector Carson for sent her, he focus his hole nervous system in breathe and not just think how attractive he found her.

"The Chief Inspector has sent me to help"

Aware that Thomas and William were watching, Tom reacted and motioned for Sybil to approach the body.

"The victim is Bryanna Wrench, actress and part of the franchise of the series " The Polar Vortex," he said while giving space for Sybil to examine the body, for more than a brief moment, Sybils' fragrance eclipsed Tom senses

"I know her," Sybil said as she watched the body

"Last summer her face was all over the city, in the posters advertising the film," Tom said trying to remember he was at a crime scene and not just a place where he could watch Sybil. "She played a secondary role, Gemma Waterfall but it was a favorite among fans"

It seemed like Sybil was about to correct him, buy suddenly she realized something, "Are you a fan?" Sybil asked beaming

Tom felt his cheeks warmed, he didn't know if he was embarrassed by the question or her smile.

"We better hurry," he finally said, "I'm surprised the press hasn't found out is her and start giving us hard time"

"Poor, Bryanna" Sybil whispered while covering the body again with the plastic bag, this time Tom confirmed that there was something strange in Sybil's tone.

"Do you wanna talk with the peruvian family or make a recognition of the area?" she asked before he could question her

"We better split" Tom said, noting that a group of paparazzi have arrived and started taking pictures "You go with the tourists"

Tom watched as Sybil headed for the Peruvian family, what the hell had that woman that made him act so lethargically?

Coming out of his reverie, he began to surround the area where the body was laying.

"They sent the rookie to be your nanny" Barrow said mockingly

"Agent Crawley has proved being quite capable" Tom defended her, knowing what Barrow was trying to say

Thomas smiled sarcastically and go away. Tom started to inspect the area.

There was no signs on the lawn indicating a fight or that the body had been dragged. The rock where lay the body head was bathed in clotted blood, everything indicated she had fallen and hit the rock with the back of her head.

Also it was unlikely that she had stumbled since near the body there was no rock or bump in the road that would make her lose her balance.

He began to hear more noise around, it was obvious that most curious people and press had arrived.

Sybil came back, she had tied her long wavy hair in a bun and was making notes in her pad. Tom hated himself for notice things changes like that.

"Anything relevant?" Tom asked trying to sound professional

The medical team was collecting the body on a stretcher.

"The Garcia family did not hear anything or see anyone" Sybil informed looking at her notes "Angelica, the youngest daughter, was walking by about five feet in front her family and was the first to see the body lying, they didn't touched the body or see anybody. Do you found anything?"

"The grass and the road are not mistreated, I get the impression someone push her or she really have a very bad luck and felt into that rock. We'll have to wait for the forensics' report but I don't think she has been raped"

"Poor Bryanna" Sybil repeated as they watched the body carried on a stretcher to the ambulance.

"We better go to the central" Branson proposed, "We need to get data from Bryanna 's family and inform them before the press"

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Back at the station, Tom explained briefly the case to Inspector Carson and he was officially designated the detective in charge of the case. Carson designated Anna Bates as an extra help.

"You would think that with internet reach the parents of a super star would be much easier" Anna complained while surfing the web

"Come on Anna, we need to hurry, I'm pretty sure someone in the police is giving clues to the press while we speak. In this case we're going to compete against the reporters"

"Detective Branson..." - Sybil sounded hesitant and looking at him with concern, "Can we speak?"

Since they arrived from Hyde Park she was acting strange. Branson guided her to the coffee room.

"What's the matter Crawley?"

"I know where to find her parents"

"What did you say?"

"They own a boutique, the Wrench boutique in Mayfiar"

Tom stared in confusion. He thought he saw Sybil's cheeks lit up a bit, he immediately assumed that Sybil had more information about the victim.

"How do you know?" asked trying not to sound incriminating

Sybil bite her lip.

"You know detective Crawley that I'm your superior in this case and I can't allow to my team hide secrets from me" he said in a deep voice

"I swear not personal relationships or interests are involved" she said quickly seeing the gaze in Branson's eyes

"I don't think it's good that you're involved in this case detective Crawley" Tom hesitated

"Please, detective Brason. Everyone at the station thinks I don't deserve to be a detective"

Tom make a pause. There was no point in deny it, he knew that his peers looked at her with superiority and pity. If she was removed from her first murder case that would make things difficult for her.

"Are you sure that your relationship with the victim will not blind your judgment?" he really wanted to trust her

"Not at all", said and held her breath, waiting for his response.

Tom hoped he was being objective and not just letting him go by a feeling that he couldn't label yet.

"Detective Crawley, you own me a long explanation but right now, go and tell Anna to stop searching, we're going to give Bryanna's parents the bad news" Tom replied, giving his authorization.

"I promise you will not regret" Sybil smiled.

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Are you interested in see how this story goes? Please leave a review and let me know what you think.


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